The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus particularly adapted for dispensing flexible duct connector from coils thereof and severing selected lengths from the coils. More particularly, the invention is directed to a dispenser device particularly adapted to store two or more coils of flexible duct connector material and to enable lengths of a selected one of said coils to be withdrawn from the stored position and severed.
It is conventional practice in the air conduits of air conditioning and heating systems to interpose between lengths of metal conduit, sections of flexible connector material. Representative patents showing the structure of the flexible connector material are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,197,850; 3,197,860; 3,214,807; 4,820,569; and 4,861,631, all assigned to the assignee of the instant application.
Flexible duct connector material comprises a pair of spaced parallel elongate metal bands, the opposed marginal edges of the bands being spanned by a flexible fabric material such as canvas, synthetic fabrics, or the like. In use, a length of flexible connector material is bent to assume the configuration of the opposed spaced air conduits. The respective metallic strips of the bent connector are affixed to the opposed conduits such that the flexible connector provides a continuation between the conduits. Importantly, vibrations in one of the conduits, such as the plenum of a furnace, are not transferred to the other of the conduits by virtue of the vibration absorbing fabric of the flexible connector material.
In order to accommodate the various duct configurations and uses, flexible connector material is supplied in a variety of sizes and types. For example, where the flexible duct is to be used in installations carrying air at high temperatures, an appropriate heat resistant fabric must be used. Similarly, the joining of small sized ducts dictates the use of lighter gauge metals in the flexible connector and vise versa. It will accordingly be appreciated that fabricators of duct systems must maintain a supply of a variety of types of flexible duct connector material.
The typical mode of packaging flexible connector material is in extended coils of one hundred feet or more. The coils may weigh upward of 80 pounds, and due to the stiffness of the material, is handled only with difficulty. More specifically, the conventional manner of dispensing flexible duct connector material is to pass the lead end of the connector coil through an aperture or open end of the box in which the coil is shipped. The selected length is withdrawn, measured, and severed prior to bending to the duct configuration.
A problem uniquely encountered in respect of the heavy coils of flexible connector material is to provide a mechanism whereby the coil may be freely unreeled. It is important to note that the outer diameter of the coil constantly changes as lengths of flexible material are withdrawn. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an anti-friction feed device which automatically compensates for the constantly changing peripheral configuration of the coil.